title: The effect of exposures to policing on syringe sharing among people who inject drugs in Bangkok, Thailand.
abstract: While intensive drug law enforcement is recognized as a social-structural driver of HIV epidemics among people who inject drugs (IDU), few studies have investigated the effects of direct encounters with police, particularly in Asian settings. Using multivariate log-binomial regression, we examined the relationship between syringe sharing and exposures to two types of policing practices among IDU in Bangkok, Thailand: having been beaten by police and having been tested for illicit drugs by police. Between July and October 2011, 435 IDU participated in the study, with 75 (17.2 %) participants reporting syringe sharing in the past 6 months. In multivariate analyses, exposures to the two types of policing practices had an independent effect on syringe sharing, with experiencing both practices showing the greatest effect. These findings highlight the importance of addressing the policy and social environment surrounding IDU as a means of HIV prevention.
authors.forename: Kanna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Lianping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ti
authors.forename: Jane A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Buxton
authors.forename: Karyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Paisan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suwannawong
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kerr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016495:Police; D011634:Public Health; D011640:Public Policy; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013594:Syringes; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence